41. Back At The Black Manor

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Everything seemed fuzzy, slow. You and Fred jumped to your feet and drew your wands. Many people were only just realizing that something strange had happened; heads were still turning toward the silver cat as it vanished. Silence spread outward in cold ripples from the place where the Patronus had landed. Then somebody screamed. You and Fred threw yourselves into the panicking crowd. Guests were sprinting in all directions; many were Disapparating; the protective enchantments around the Burrow had broken.

"George!" Fred cried. "George, where are you?"

As you pushed your way across the dance floor, you saw cloaked and masked figures appearing in the crowd; then you saw Remus and Tonks, their wands raised, and heard both of them shout, "Protego!", a cry that was echoed on all sides -

"George! Astrid!" Shouted Fred again. You saw a redhead and a brunette, holding their children tightly; George and Astrid.

"Over there!" You shouted to Fred, leading him to his twin and sister-in-law.

"Are you guys okay-" A spell was sent your way by one of those hooded figures, but you dodged it in the last minute.

"Reducto!" Yelled Astrid, sending a spell that person's way. You immediately grabbed onto each other and disapparated away.

You were now standing in the middle of a familiar small and shabby square. Tall, dilapidated houses looked down on them from every side. Number twelve was visible to you, for you had been told of its existence by Dumbledore, its Secret-Keeper, and you rushed toward it, checking every few yards that you were not being followed or observed. You raced up the stone steps, and Fred tapped the front door once with his wand. You heard a series of metallic clicks and the clatter of a chain, then the door swung open with a creak and they hurried over the threshold.

As you closed the door behind you, the old-fashioned gas lamps sprang into life, casting flickering light along the length of the hallway. It looked just as you remembered it: eerie, cobwebbed, the outlines of the house-elf heads on the wall throwing odd shadows up the staircase. Long dark curtains concealed the portrait of Sirius's mother. The only thing that was out of place was the troll's leg umbrella stand, which was lying on its side as if Tonks had just knocked it over again. You felt nostalgic, as if this all was a distant memory.

"I think somebody's been in here," Astrid whispered, pointing toward it.

"That could've happened as the Order left," Fred murmured back.

"So where are these jinxes they put up against Snape?" George asked.

"Maybe they're only activated if he shows up?" suggested Fred.

Yet you all remained close together on the doormat, backs against the door, scared to move farther into the house.

"Well, we can't stay here forever," you said, and you took a step forward.

Carefully, you took another step forward. Something shifted in the shadows at the end of the hall, and before any of you could say another word, a figure had risen up out of the carpet, tall, dust-colored, and terrible:

The babies started screaming and so did Mrs. Black, her curtains flying open; the gray figure was gliding toward them, faster and faster, its waist-length hair and beard streaming behind it, its face sunken, fleshless, with empty eye sockets: Horribly familiar, dreadfully altered, it raised a wasted arm, pointing at you.

"Move quickly!" Said Fred, and you all moved away from your screaming grandmother's portait

"Before we go any farther, I think we'd better check," you whispered, and you raised your wand and said, "Homenum revelio."

Nothing happened.

"Well, you've just had a big shock," said Fred kindly. "What was that supposed to do?"

"It did what I meant it to do!" you said rather crossly. "That was a spell to reveal human presence, but there is..."

You all walked to the empty living room. Fred turned his back on you three, pretending to examine the old tapestry of the Black family tree on the wall.

Then Astrid shrieked: George drew his wand again and spun around to see a silver Patronus soar through the drawing room window and land upon the floor in front of them, where it solidified into the weasel that spoke with the voice of Fred and George's father, Mr. Weasley.

"Family safe, do not reply, we are being watched."

The Patronus dissolved into nothingness. Fred let out a noise between a whimper and a groan and dropped onto the sofa: you joined him, gripping his arm.

"They're all right, they're all right!" You whispered, and Fred half laughed
and hugged you.

"For now, at least." Said Astrid, letting the babies on the couch. "I'm tired, guys."

George held Astrid close, "I know."

Suddenly, the door swang open revealing Hermione, Harry and Ron drawing the wands out, preparing for anything. When they realized it was you five, they took a deep breath and lowered their wands.

You hugged them relieved, happy that they were alive and safe as you also earned a hug from them back. "Thank goodness you're alright!" You said, some small happy tears escaping the corners of your eyes.

"Everybody else is okay." Said Ron, "Dad's patronus was shown to us saying that everyone in your family is okay-"

"Yeah, we know." Said George, and hugged his younger brother, relieved. Fred stood up and hugged Ron, Harry Hermione, also relieved that everybody was okay.

"So what do we do now?" You asked, "We can't go back to the Burrow, or the shop. And even here it isn't safe, it will most definitely be the next place they'll search."

Everyone was silent. Nobody knew where to go, and everything felt hopeless. Then Harry's face lit up.

"Do you guys know what R.A.B. stand for?" You hesitated and looked away not meeting their eyes.

"(Y/n)?" Hermione asked, "Do you know something and you're not telling us?"

You took a deep breath, "Regulus Artcturus Black..." You whispered.

"What?" Asked Ron.

"Regulus Arcturus Black." You said again, louder this time. "Dad's brother and a Death-Eater." Everyone stood still and looked at you, wide-eyed. "He was also the one who realized his mistake and wanted to help defeat You-Know-Who."

"Why didn't you say anything sooner? You let us try and search him on our own!" Harry said angrily.

"I know!" You shouted back at him, "I wanted to be sure you were searching for him. It-it could have been anyone!"

An awkward silence fell into the room. The cold air that came from the open window made through simcoder than a Dementor's kiss.

"I'm sorry." You said, "And if you need anything, just know that we're here." You smiled slightly at Fred, George and Astrid.

"We will, thank you." Said Hermione, smiling back at you. You felt relieved after this, but you also felt as if you lost their trust a bit, but no worries! You'd gain it back in time.

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